Article

2006-03-09 Home Front: Politix

Tipping Point? Almost half of Americans have negative image of Islam

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Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-03-09 11:57|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Conservative and liberal experts said Americans' attitudes about Islam are fueled in part by political statements and media reports that focus almost solely on the actions of Muslim extremists.

Blowback in MSM methodology. Focus on the negative of the war and you get negative opinions on the war. Focus on the negative behavior of muzzie extremist and you paint muzzies as extremists. Gee, was that hard to figure out? Now what the MSM trip over itself to 'correct' the image of the muzzies [cause they are 'victim' class], but make no effort to 'correct' their reporting of the war.

Posted by Gromoter Snearong7571 2006-03-09 12:31|| 2006-03-09 12:31|| Front Page Top

#2 Hell,
I have had a negative view of Islam for 20 years now.

Posted by mmurray821 2006-03-09 12:45|| 2006-03-09 12:45|| Front Page Top

#3 GS, I'm sure they made a calculated trade-off. They had to show the war in the worst possible light, but soft-pedaled on every other example of muslims behaving badly. Little word in the MSM about the riots in Europe, the cartoon jihad, or the bombings in India.

Posted by BH 2006-03-09 12:59|| 2006-03-09 12:59|| Front Page Top

#4 My opinion is based not on the extremists, but on the unwillingness of the 'moderate mass' to stand up and denounce the extremists. I see that as implying either (a) agreement with the extremists or (b) cowardly waiting to see who is the strong horse before choosing a side.

Either option leaves me with a pretty negative image of Islam.

Posted by rjschwarz">rjschwarz 2006-03-09 13:02|| 2006-03-09 13:02|| Front Page Top

#5 I don't have a negative view of Islam, I have an honest one.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2006-03-09 13:10|| 2006-03-09 13:10|| Front Page Top

#6 Seafarious - I'm gonna have to steal that line!

Posted by mmurray821 2006-03-09 13:15|| 2006-03-09 13:15|| Front Page Top

#7 Conservative and liberal experts said Americans' attitudes about Islam are fueled in part by political statements and media reports that focus almost solely on the actions of Muslim extremists.

fine. let the "moderate muslims" make their presence known and I'll change my attitude. It's been 4 1/2 years, though, and counting . . .

Posted by PlanetDan">PlanetDan 2006-03-09 13:15|| 2006-03-09 13:15|| Front Page Top

#8 ...when Muslims were often targeted for violence.

Bulls**t! There were a handful of cases of actual or implied violence. Another Big Lie has taken root.

Posted by Xbalanke 2006-03-09 14:06|| 2006-03-09 14:06|| Front Page Top

#9 Makes one believe that eventually, logical thinkers arrive at the same conclusions.
Also points out who isn't logical.

Posted by wxjames 2006-03-09 14:07|| 2006-03-09 14:07|| Front Page Top

#10 46 percent -- have a negative view of Islam, seven percentage points higher than in the tense months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks

Finally, some serious progress. Now, all America needs to realize is that the cost of coexisting with Islam will quite soon exceed the cost of exterminating it. This needs to become a major component of our public dialogue so that it is taken up by our politicians and eventually assumes a role in our foreign policy. Only at that point will Islam suddenly prick up its ears and begin to realize that its entire future is one the line. Until that point, they will continue to play us for the suckers and rubes that we are.

Posted by Zenster 2006-03-09 14:46|| 2006-03-09 14:46|| Front Page Top

#11 You stole our thunder, Seafarious! An honest view of Islam scares the hell out of us. Very few Muslims stand up against the nutcases. Islam will reform itself or the world will reform it---the hard way.

It will be a hot day in Hooper Bay when they do, and it is -10F with a 15kt wind right now.

Posted by Alaska Paul in Hooper Bay, AK">Alaska Paul in Hooper Bay, AK 2006-03-09 14:52|| 2006-03-09 14:52|| Front Page Top

#12 I truly have no idea what -10 farenheit (sp?) can mean as temperature goes, but I'm sure it's pretty cold. Stay warm, AP!

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-03-09 14:56|| 2006-03-09 14:56|| Front Page Top

#13 AP -- and "Mush" to those incredible dogs in that big race ya'll got gonin' on! Saw the start of that a few years back.

Posted by Sherry 2006-03-09 14:58|| 2006-03-09 14:58|| Front Page Top

#14 Wow! It wasn't that long ago that poll results revealed less than negative feelings of less than 30%. It should be 99%.

Posted by Listen To Dogs 2006-03-09 15:00|| 2006-03-09 15:00|| Front Page Top

#15 I truly have no idea what -10 farenheit (sp?) can mean as temperature goes, but I'm sure it's pretty cold. Stay warm, AP!

Forty degrees below freezing. The degrees are a bit smaller than centigrade degrees, though.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-03-09 15:02|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-03-09 15:02|| Front Page Top

#16 -10f mean Three Dog Night, Paleface...even if wife name Grazing Moose.

Posted by Big Cheif Wahoo 2006-03-09 15:25|| 2006-03-09 15:25|| Front Page Top

#17 Anon 5089, it is -23C. Brass monkeys beware. Sherry---send me your email address and I will send some pics of Sunday's race start.

On topic, most people feel live and let live. Do your thing, I'll do mine, and we will respect each other's space. With this ME financed Islam, they will set up a mosque, then start staking their surrounding territory. There will be a tipping point in the US. I hope that Europe can do something about the threat to their freedom.

Posted by Alaska Paul in Hooper Bay, AK">Alaska Paul in Hooper Bay, AK 2006-03-09 15:28|| 2006-03-09 15:28|| Front Page Top

#18 WSJ's "Best of the Web" took the stance that the cause of this is the way the press has been covering Iraq.

I think it has much more to do with other things -- 7/7, continuing terrorism in the rest of the Muslim world, the seemingly incessant cases of Muslims either excusing, promoting, or trying to indulge in terrorism.

No doubt someone will try to blame this on the press "playing up" the acts of violence committed by Muslims. The problem is they actually downplay them.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-03-09 15:32|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-03-09 15:32|| Front Page Top

#19 I would love to see someone (in the Senate perhaps) submit a budget that includes the number of Moabs that need to be in the reserve stockpile "in case".

How did you come upon that bizarre number Mr. Senator?

The number of Mosques in the world plus 10.

Posted by rjschwarz">rjschwarz 2006-03-09 15:32|| 2006-03-09 15:32|| Front Page Top

#20 AP -- it's on its way. Thanks!

Posted by Sherry 2006-03-09 15:34|| 2006-03-09 15:34|| Front Page Top

#21 "Conservative and liberal experts said Americans' attitudes about Islam are fueled in part by political statements and media reports that focus almost solely on the actions of Muslim extremists."

When half the people in Pakistan support the "extremists", is it fair to call them "extremists"?

Posted by AuburnTom 2006-03-09 15:52|| 2006-03-09 15:52|| Front Page Top

#22 I would not underestimate the importance of the mo-toons in shaping American opinion. The muzzies look foolish, humorless and all out of proportion in their reaction on an issue to which most Americans can easily relate. "They're only cartoons fer goodness sakes."

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-03-09 15:58|| 2006-03-09 15:58|| Front Page Top

#23 More are getting a practical and realistic view of Islam an the threat to their part of the world.

Faster please.

Posted by SPoD 2006-03-09 16:06|| http://sockpuppetofdoom.blogspot.com/]">[http://sockpuppetofdoom.blogspot.com/] 2006-03-09 16:06|| Front Page Top

#24 "WSJ's "Best of the Web" took the stance that the cause of this is the way the press has been covering Iraq."

ive got to agree with them. Iraq is more important to most people than the kinds of stuff we follow here. They hear about suicide bombers, and throat cutters, but dont hear about the Iraqi security forces, the tribal types who work with our troops, the mayor in Tel Afar who thanked our troops, the Iraqis who are working to build democracy. They get the idiocy of a Murtha, who says our troops are the main targets of the insurgeny, when anyone who knows whats going on knows that its Iraqi muslims who are the main targets of the insurgency. The dont get to read Iraqi bloggers, and they dont hear about the Iraqis who hate the insurgency.

So yes, I blame the MSM, esp the networks.

Posted by liberalhawk 2006-03-09 16:50|| 2006-03-09 16:50|| Front Page Top

#25 "On topic, most people feel live and let live. Do your thing, I'll do mine, and we will respect each other's space. With this ME financed Islam, they will set up a mosque, then start staking their surrounding territory. There will be a tipping point in the US. I hope that Europe can do something about the threat to their freedom."

Right AP.

Here's the plan:

Infiltrate

Overpopulate to gain a majority presence

Promote and legitimize recognition of Islam

Demand changes in host country's culture norms

Weaken and subsume host democracies through the democratic process

Attack

Posted by ex-lib 2006-03-09 16:57|| 2006-03-09 16:57|| Front Page Top

#26 Or maybe it's not the MSM. Maybe the blogs and talk radio are starting to make a difference.

Posted by 11A5S 2006-03-09 17:38|| 2006-03-09 17:38|| Front Page Top

#27 The dont get to read Iraqi bloggers, and they dont hear about the Iraqis who hate the insurgency.

But they also don't get to hear about all the Muslims in the West who, frankly, are on the terrorists side.

I think that comes out in a wash.

Posted by Robert Crawford">Robert Crawford 2006-03-09 17:41|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-03-09 17:41|| Front Page Top

#28 What - pray tell - are the other 54% thinking?

Islam is a happy bunch of nice guys whom I am happy to share this lovely orb?

I guess they didn't run their survey in downtown Manhattan - or in "the Pit" at UNC.

Hey, 54% listen up: Do you not have a negative impression of living in a global 12th Century Theocracy under Sharia law? If not, then you best start having your chidren begin practicing the Kalima.

My worst nightmare: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97632393@N00/106461570/

Posted by Lone Ranger 2006-03-09 21:44|| 2006-03-09 21:44|| Front Page Top

#29 Agree with liberalhawk here. Most Muslims are just people and want to raise their kids and don't like the western decadence, so they stick to what is familiar. It's not easy to jump from 13th century to 21st overnight. It was less than 100 years ago that US women couldn't vote, covered their ankles and it was ok for husbands to beat them.

As for their compatiblity in the west - it's a bit more touchy. Things would be much better if we demanded that imans and mosques that promote terror be shut down and crack down hard on the "youths". Then the ordinary muslim folk could do what all other immigrants do when they move here, learn to live and let live. What has changed is that we in the west realize that their mosques are teaching them to become more fundamental, more fanatical and more intolerant. We aren't going to tolerate that anymore and if they don't like it they should leave.

Posted by 2b 2006-03-09 22:31|| 2006-03-09 22:31|| Front Page Top

#30 The other half don't get enough phosphorus in their diet?

Posted by gromgoru 2006-03-09 22:34|| 2006-03-09 22:34|| Front Page Top

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